First Ukrainian Honorary Consulate Opens in Liberia

-Commissions Nelson Oniyama as Consul General

The Government of Ukraine through its Foreign Minister Pavlo Anatoliyovych Klimkin, Prime Minister, Volodymyr Groysman, Ambassador Oleksander and head of Embassy, Resident in Dakar, Senegal, Anton Barabulia on Thursday, February 7, 2019, opened its first honorary consulate in Liberia.

They also used the occasion to commission the General Manager of Monrovia Breweries Incorporated, Dr. C. Nelson Oniyama, as first Ukraine’s Honorary Consul.

This is the first of its kind for the Republic of Ukraine have direct representative in Liberia.

The ceremony, which took place at a resort in St. Paul Bridge, Bushrod Island, brought together some government officials, among them Vice-President Jewel Howard Taylor, Elias Shoniyin, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as the Ukrainian citizens working in Liberia.

Mr. Barabulia described the event as the one that would facilitate trade and friendship between the people of the two countries.

He called on Dr. Oniyama to see the opening of the consulate in Liberia as historical event that should foster economic development between the two countries.

Barabulia is the Chargé d’affaires of Ukraine in Senegal. He expressed confidence that the newly opened Honorary Consulate will start a new page in representing Ukrainian interests in Liberia.

In response, Dr. Oniyama said the inauguration of the first Honorary Consulate in Liberia is a manifestation of the significance of diplomatic relations between Liberia and Ukraine.

“So, on behalf of the Honorary Consulate and the People of Ukraine, I have the honor to express sincere sentiment of appreciation for your presence at this occasion, and extend to you a hand of gracious welcome to the historical festivities,” Dr. Oniyama he said.

This occasion, according to him, represents the commencement of the evolution of a solid and cordial relationship between our two countries.

Dr. Oniyama promised to further improve on the already cordial relationship between Liberia and Ukriane in areas of trade, commerce, tourism, security, education and cultural exchanges, as well as creating a more modern framework for the development of trade and investment.

“We are of the conviction that much can be accomplished as we collaborate while contemplating a future with optimism and hope for a better day,” he added.

The Ukraine Honorary Consul has assured President Petro Porochenko, the Government of Ukriane and its people that he will he continue to provide all the necessary cooperation and support to ensure the success of the Honorary Consular mission in Liberia for the confidence repose in him.

Charuk Siafa, Director for Commercial Section at the Consulate of Ukraine in Liberia, commended the Government of Ukraine for opening its consulate in the country.

Mr. Siafa said between 2017 and 2018, Ukraine exports to Liberia increased by 367.6 percent from US$23.2 to 77.33 million, while import decreased by 92.2 percent from US$1.5 million to 0.12 million compared to the previous years.

According to him, the structure of export between Ukraine and Liberia in 2018 was (94.5%), milk and dairy, eggs, honey (3.8%), while imports were natural rubber.

Siafa: “We thus feel sure that with the presence of an Consulate in the country, which he described as a two-way trade, economic, commercial and investment relationship among all things that will grow substantially between the two nations.”

Minister Shoniyin expressed on behalf of the Liberian government its readiness to support in future the peaceful Ukrainian initiatives within the framework of the international organizations and stressed its interest to intensify the mutually beneficial bilateral relations.